Control device for oil burners



Jan. 18, 1938. ROE 2,105,931

' CONTROL DEVICE FOR OIL BURNERS Filed June 20, 1953 '31 i 31 Q 1 2a o o 33 as u o 16 16 "T 32 l 10 l {0% 1 I I I: s L I i IN VENTOR: NA THAN 4 Roe BY 677M044 Maw ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 18, 1938 PATENT OFFICE CONTROL DEVICE Nathaniel Roe,

FOR on. BUaNEas Patchogue, N. Y.

Application June 20, 1933, Serial No. 676,653

4 Claims.

5 reliable and efficient device which operates automatically to control the operation of various devices employed in the system or burner, and to determine the duration of the operation thereof.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which means is included for controlling the circuit of an ignition device to operate the same during the starting of the burner operation, and

to render the same inoperative after combustion is started in the burner.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the control devices thereof are coordinated to control the operation of both the ignition means and the means for supplying air to the system, and. to control the duration of the operation thereof.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the several circuit controlling means thereof are under control of supplemental means for determining the duration of operation of the several devices under control.

Further, said invention has for its object to provide a device of the character specified in which the operation of the circuit controllers are in part under control of a thermostatic element serving to time the operation of the controllers.

A further object is to provide igniting means which shall be controlled by means already present in the burner of the character described.

It is a further object to provide igniting means comprising a body or element arranged to be heated to a temperature sufilcient to produce vaporization of the oil and thence to ignite said vapor.

And further, it is anobject of this invention to provide means, operable at the start of combustion for producing a localized area of a highly combustible mixture and igniting said mixture.

My igniter and control means therefor are shown and described herein as applied to the retort or pot type of oil burner, but it will be understood that my invention is thereby not intended to be restricted to such use.

Other objects will in part be obvious, and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, and in the combination, connec- (Cl. zoo- 88) tion and arrangemet of parts hereinafter more fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of device constructed according to and embodying my said invention, the parts being shown in positions occupied when the burner or system is not in operation;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts afterthe combustion has started and the burner is operating, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view and circuit diagram of the system or burner incorporating my invention,

The control mechanism or device it embodying the present invention is particularly adapted for application to oil burners under control of a room thermostat I4 (Fig. 3). The burner is supplied with oil through a suitable conduit controlled by the valve I0 actuated by the solenoid H'i under control of the thermostat 14. Air is supplied to the burner under forced draft by the electric motor 6. The fuel is ignited and combustion started by an igniter ll including an element 20 adapted to be heated to incandescence when the circuit thereof is closed.

The motor 6 has a pivoted make and break mercury tube switch l2 (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) in its operating circuit, actuated by a plunger l3 operatively synchronized with the solenoid valve. The solenoid coil ll! is connected to a suitable source of electrical current through a room thermostatic switch H. Thermostatic switch it also controls the current to the heating element iii of the warping bar l6 which is employed to keep motor switch I2 closed for a predetermined period of time after the solenoid valve closes. This is because when the thermostatic switch l4 opens, closing the solenoid valve, there remains in the pot a certain amount of oil which must be consumed under forced draft, as otherwise, if the blower were stopped, this oil would burn by natural draft and with a smoky flame.

In controlling the ignition means I1 I provide a second mercury tube switch 29 in proximity to the solenoid valve, switch I2, and warping bar. Switch 29 is mounted on a pivoted yoke 30 between the arms 3l--3i of which is disposed the upper end of the warping bar. Switch 29 therefore will be actuated by the warping bar in a direction dependent upon the direction of movement of said bar.

For the purposes of the application of said switch 29 to the oil burner herein described, it is arranged that said switch shall be normally closed, which is the condition of said switch in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and to be actuated to open position by the warping bar when the latter moves to the left under switch I2. Switch 29 may be arranged to be returned to the closed position by the warping bar upon its return to its original condition of rest, or it may be arranged that the switch l2 shall accomplish this act, for which purpose the yoke-member of switch 29 is provided with a part 32 extending into the path of .travel of the arm 33 of switch 12, so that the gravity fall of said switch, when the warping bar has removed its support thereof, will effect the aforesaid return movement or tripping of said switch 29. Or it may be arranged that both the fall of switch I! and the return movement of the warping bar shall throw said switch 29 to closed position. The lag of the warping bar is adjusted by the screw 34.

In Fig. 3 there is provided a stepdown transformer 35 for supplying current to the solenoid coil, the warping bar heating element and igniting coil. This current is controlled by the room thermostatic switch in the secondary circuit of the transformer.

It will be seen that the igniting coil is connected in the secondary circuit of transformer 35 through the switch 29 above described and in parallel with the solenoid coil and warping bar heating element. The operation of the apparatus shown is as follows: When the room thermostatic switch closes, current flows through the solenoid coil to open the valve Hl controlled thereby, at the same time the plunger rises to throw switch l2 to the position shown in Fig. 2 to close the motor circuit 31 and start the blower operating; at the same time, too, current passes through the warping bar heating element and through the igniting coil by way of switch 29 which is closed. Said switch 29 stays closed for a predetermined period of time to cause the igniting coil to heat up and insure ignition of the fuel in the pot. When the warping bar is heated by its heating element, the upper end thereof moves gradually to the left, trips switch 29 to the position shown in Fig. 2 to open the igniter circuit and comes actively to rest under switch arm 33. When the room thermostatic switch opens, the solenoid coil is de-energized releasing the valve to permit it to close, and the plunger drops, but the switch I2 is now supported by the warping bar so that the blower continues to operate after the solenoid valve closes. Though the room thermostatic switch is open and thewarping bar heating element is electrically disconnected, nevertheless it takes time for the element to cool and the warping bar remains under the switch arm 33 to support switch 12 in closed position for a prearranged period of time to keep the blower operating until the oil in the pot is entirely combusted. As the heating element cools the upper end of the warping bar moves to the right and finally withdraws its support of switch l2. The switch 12 then drops by gravity and in so doing actuates the switch 28 to closed position. Or, as pointed out above, the warping bar may be arranged to trip switch 29 to closed position upon its return movement.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. A switch mechanism comprising a movably mounted switch, electrically-operated means for actuating said switch and maintaining the same in one position, an electrically-heated thermo-.

named means being disposed in the path of said first switch for returning the second switch to the initial position upon release of the first switch by said element.

2. A switch mechanism comprising a movably mounted switch, electrically-operated means for actuating said switch and maintaining the same in one position, an electrically heated thermostatic element movable into engagement with said switch to maintain the same in said position for an interval after said electrically-operated means is deenergized, and a. movably mounted switch having means thereon extending into the path of said element for the actuation of the second switch upon movement of said element into engagement with said first switch, said last-named means extending under said first switch in the path thereof for returning the second switch to the initial position upon release of the first switch by said element.

3. A switch mechanism comprising a support pivotally mounted for vertical movement and having a switch thereon, electrically-operated means for actuating said support and maintaining the same in elevated position, an electricallyheated thermostatic element movable into engagement with said support to maintain the same in elevated position for an interval after said electrically-operated means is deenergized, and a pivotally mounted support having a switch thereon and a depending member disposed between said first support and said element in the paths of movement thereof for the actuation thereby of the second support in opposite directions.

4. A switch mechanism comprising a movably mounted circuit controlling member, electrically operated means for actuating said member and maintaining the same in one position, an electrically heated thermostatic element movable into engagement with said member to maintain the same in said position for an interval after said electrically-operated means is deenergized, and a movably mounted circuit controlling member having a depending bifurcated portion receiving said element for the actuation thereby of said last-named circuit controlling member in opposite directions, said bifurcated portion being disposed in the path of said first-named circuit controlling member for supplementing said element in returning said second-named circuit controlling member to the initial position when said first-named circuit controlling member is released by said element.

NATHANIEL ROE. 

